Only His Echo Remains
by Unnoticed Silence
Summary: I think everyone hates my best friend, Echopaw. He tries to talk to someone, but no one will hear him out. But I listen. I'll listen even if his mentor, Cherryfrost, won't. Adopted from Kira, Queen of Darkness. Rated 'T' cause I'm paranoid.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I don't own warriors. Again, belongs to the six Erin Hunters. I don't even own the plot. That belongs to Kira- Queen of Darkness. Yeah, I was out of ideas. **

**Rawr: Awww! Why are all your stories these days depressing?**

**Me: Not ALL! Call Me Maybe Castle Style, Souplings isn't! **

**Rawr: Your update is. **

**Me: This was Kira's idea. I just gave it a home. **

**Rawr: Whatever. T_T. **

Once me and my best friend, Echopaw, reached seven moons moons old, everyone started to block him out. There were always the murmurings. The murmurings of him being sick. But after about a moon of half-training, he got better. But that's about when the murmuring stopped. The hollow became more silent.

They were grieving. But Echopaw and I were the only ones who didn't know why.

And there was the sadness in the eyes of his mother, Whisperingfeather. Echopaw didn't know it, didn't get why his mother was so sad. Did he do something wrong?

Even his mentor, Cherryfrost, wouldn't talk to him. Or listen to him, either.

But that was OK. I could talk to him. We still played together, hunted together, and ate together. No one would talk to him, though. Not even his crush, Frostpaw.

And whenever I tried to ask anyone in RiverClan about ignoring him, they looked at me, confused. "Echopaw? Why would he be talking to us?" they would answer. A question for a question. Why would no one hear him out?

"Why does everyone hate me, Ashpaw? What did I do wrong?" Echopaw whimpered one day, when Cherryfrost turned away and went to go get a carp, not saying a word to him, while he tried to give her the frog he caught.

"I don't know, Echopaw. I just don't know."

**Me: this means I'm working on two FanFiction stories, plus my other book. I'm sorry if updates are slow. It's just that I have school, and two other fan fictions to work on, and the parodies, and I need to start WildFire, and to finish Not Necessarily Actually Guilty Per Say. So, you can say I'm booked. **

**Rawr: So go ahead and vote: what should Silence update first?**

**Me: I see what other FanFiction writers mean by 'in over their heads'. I'm thinking about putting WildFire up for adoption. So, if you've read icefall, and you want to write WildFire, just go ahead and ask for it. I'll do the usual, look at your writing, if not, write the prologue, bla, bla, bla. If it's a yes, I'll review on your newest story yes or no- and if yes, send you the plotline- feel free to change any details. **

**Rawr: yeah… She's way over her head. **


	2. Chapter 2

**Here's your low-priced disclaimer: Don't own the plot, or Warriors. Simple as that. Belongs to Kira and Erin Hunter. **

**Rawr: and here's the long-overdue chapter of Only His Echo Remains. We got FIVE reviews for chapter one! **

**Me: stupid school. **

**Rawr: middle school sucks. **

**Me: stupid. **

**Stupid. **

**Stupid.**

**I hate it. **

**Rawr: I realized that there's more serious stuff than funny stuff going on these days with us, and a lot of ranting, but it's just... Yeah. **

**So, if you want to be in an author's note, or have an idea for something for us to do, just comment. **

**Don't private message. **

**Me: So at the end of each chapter, we're going to have some kind of quote or something, usually funny. **

**Rawr: and now with the Long-Overdue chapter...**

StarClan came to me that night.

I'm not a medicine cat, or leader, or anyone special, they just came.

I can't explain it.

I won't even try.

_Ashpaw_. The name bounced around my consciousness, whispering it to me like it was a lifeline. Ashpaw. _Ashpaw. Ashpaw. _

And then the cats came, the starry warriors swirling among me, filling the Gathering place.

_Ashpaw. Ashpaw. Ashpaw. _

The different warriors mingled as one clan, talking and purring and sharing tongues.

_Ashpaw. Ashpaw. Ashpaw. _

I nosed my way through the merry figures, trying to find someone I knew.

_Ashpaw. Ashpaw. Ashpaw. _

I was following the sound of the echo, it getting louder as I got closer.

_Ashpaw. Ashpaw. Ashpaw. _

And then I saw him. I stopped in my tracks, dumbfounded. The echoes had stopped, and now I knew why.

There sat a half-filled form of my best friend, Echopaw.

**Me: Aaaannnddd that concludes chapter two! **

**Rawr: that also concludes my newest tie design! -holds up a tie with dead or dying fish on it- **

**Me: ...**

**Quote of the chapter: There are three kind of people in the world... The ones that can count, and the ones that can't. **

**R&amp;R?**


	3. Chapter 3

**Me: Since it's been a while since I updated this, even though I said I'd do it awhile ago, I made this chapter extra-long. **

**I promise, promise, promise to update IOTCED next. I feel really bad about not updating, but school is taking up way too much time. **

**Rawr: Mr. Chorus teacher.. Please don't count Joey absent, he in the office and pregnant... **

**Me: OMG! I almost DIED laughing at that one! The office lady said 'present' but it sounded like 'pregnant' and then some kid goes, Joey's PREGNANT?! And everyone is like, BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! HE'S PREGNANT! **

**Rawr: Yeah... And since we had no clue what to do with not-really maximum ride, so...bye bye! **

**Me: But here's the newest chapter of OHER!**

**The Presently Pregnant Disclaimer: Still don't own warriors. Or, even this plot!**

I woke up the next morning, feeling like I didn't know where I was. Looking around, I saw that my nest had been destroyed, moss shredded and churned up.

Echopaw's nest remained untouched. Now, that didn't really surprise me, since I knew that he could never really touch it.

I padded outside, to find Echopaw sitting at the camp entrance, tail wrapped around his paws. He was staring off into the sunrise, his pale cream coat seeming transparent.

"Everyone is lost to me, Ashpaw. They all ignore me, now it's my turn to ignore them."

I didn't have the heart to tell him that he was dead to them- literally. That the whole of Echopaw was supposed to be in StarClan, not suspended between worlds. That it didn't matter if he walked through them.

That he was dead.

Echopaw turned to me. "What's wrong with me?" He whispered. "What did I do wrong?"

_Nothing_. I wanted to say, so bad. Just to tell him, just to-

Another echo of a cat appeared in the farthest part of the hollow. This one was a Silver she-cat, slender and pretty_. He needs to know._ The voice bounced around me._ It's his time. _

"No!" I shouted, trying to make the cat disappear. "No, he needs to stay here! He died too young!" I turned, fleeing camp, tail streaming behind me. No. He won't know. Not until he's ready.

But when will a dead cat accept that he's dead, if even he doesn't know it? When will that be OK? When? When will it? WHEN?

_Never._ The queen whispered in my mind._ You're the one who can see him. It's up to you now. _

I stopped running, skidding to a halt at the edge of the river.

And suddenly, I had a plan.

**Me: so, maybe this chapter didn't turn out as well as I hoped, it's almost seems like something out of Starkit's Prophecy. **

**Rawr: And to whoever had the idea of Echopaw being a part of Ashpaw's mind, that's not it. He's very, very real. **

**Echopaw: And invading your world, too! **

**Me: GAAHH! **

**Rawr: -waves wand- back to the warriors fanfiction! **

**Echopaw: -disappears- -cackles invisibly- **

**Me: Freaky...**

**Rawr: And sorry that it's almost been a month with no updates. You're just going to have to get used to it.**

**Quote if the chapter: Subway: Eat Flesh. **


	4. Chapter 4

**The Disclaimer of Disclaimer-ness!: No warriors owning for me! **

**Me: Yes, I am actually updating this! **

**Rawr: Yay. T_T.**

**Me: Yay! -huggles- **

**Rawr: can't...breathe...**

**Me: -lets go- sorry...**

**Rawr: You could have killed me! **

**Me: Rawr, you're immortal. Which is why you didn't die when Legolas knocked down the door onto you, then ran over you, then the SWAT team came through, then ran over you, again. **

**Rawr: You were Squished Face! It's your fault! **

**Me: -hides Squished Face puppet- no, I wasn't... **

**Rawr: yes, you were! **

**Me: Not Necessarily actually per say! **

**Rawr: YOU PER-SAYED! PER SAY IS BUILT ON LIES! **

**Me: you sound like Total. **

**Rawr: Dang it! **

I knew exactly what to do now. Everyone needed to hear it, everyone at the exact same time. I couldn't do anything until then, but when it was time, at the next Gathering, they would know. And then he would know. That even though he was dead, that he could let go, become part of StarClan. That StarClan would help him. That he could visit his mother again, never have to worry about sickness of death. That he would be whole again, not living with a paw in each world.

How could he accept that? My same thoughts crept back into my head, like the first chills of leaf-bare. This couldn't work- I would lose my best friend. He would lose me. He would go to StarClan, waiting for the day when we came to join him.

He died too young.

His mind was here, his soul in StarClan.

His soul was at home.

It was time for his mind to be there as well.

I walked as slowly as possible back to camp, half-heatedly catching a carp to give everyone an excuse for being out.

Echopaw was waiting for me, half-hidden by the shadows covering the side of the clearing bathed in darkness. His ashen grey pelt was perfectly blended in, making my name seem even more like a joke.

_Ashpaw. Who in their right mind would name a snow-white kit Ashpaw? _

_My mother. _Who lost her mind after my father was caught with a ShadowClan cat. Who then killed herself two moons later, jumping off of the cliff into the gorge.

Who the clan left to the one Queen who still had milk- the one who hated us for every reason, but no good one.

Echopaw was looking more and more see-through as I realized how everyone was trying to forget him. Soon, he would fade into StarClan, without any knowledge of why. They would tell him the the died many moons ago, and that I knew. Then he would hate me, I knew he would.

But until then, I would have to hide it from him. For five more days. Just five sunrises. I could do it.

Echopaw followed me over to the fresh-kill pile, as I picked up a frog and a minnow as well, handed him the carp, and together we brought the prey over to the elder's den. Two of the three Elders were asleep, and the third- Greypool, who always would tell the best stories when we were kits, back when Echopaw was alive and we would play-fight, bugging his father to teach us some fighting moves, trying to sneak out of camp, stay up late at night and try and count all of Silverpelt.

If only those days would last.

Greypool looked surprised, and I realized why: she was seeing a floating carp. I quickly stepped in front of Echopaw as he gave a muffled 'hey!'. I dropped the frog and minnow, flipped around to face Echopaw, took my carp, and laid it at Greypool's feet.

"Save some for the others," I briskly said, and swept out, Echopaw on my tail, looking confused.

Greypool called back to me, and told Echopaw to wait outside. She turned to face her den mates, making sure they were still slumbering, and stared at me with piercing eyes.

"There's something going on with you," she hissed. "Always rambling on about your dead friend. You're stirring up unwanted memories, so let it go. Let it go. Before someone makes you."

The harshness suddenly faded from her eyes, and she collapsed in a pile on her nest. "I'll save some for the others," she muttered, and slumped down, her nose burrowing into the dirt.

Me:... Wow... This turned out really long, by my chapter standards.

Rawr: A page and a half!

Me: And to Warriorsfan12, Rawr's having a OC meeting... I might be able to kidnap a second...

Rawr: What?!

Me: Nothing!

Quote of the chapter: when life gives you lemons, throw them back at life and demand BIGGER lemons.


	5. Chapter 5

**This ain't no ordinary disclaimer: Me don't own Warriors. Or this plot. Thanks, Kira…**

**Me: I'm so, so sorry for not updating for, like, ever…**

**Rawr: World's worst updater, right there! ^**

**Me: HEY!**

**Rawr: It's true…**

**Me: Fine... Anyways, I wasn't going to update, but to stop anyone from trying to hunt me down… I created this…. Very something of a chapter.**

**Rawr: It's just a bunch of memories of Ashpaw's.**

"_Hey, Echokit!" I called happily across the clearing as my best friend dragged himself out of the nursery. _

_He glared at me, sulking in the shadows towards where I was standing. _

"_You woke me up," he growled._

"_You could have not come out," I retorted. _

"_Fine."_

"_Fine."_

_Suddenly, he brightened. "You wanna go find Beetlekit and Snowkit and play warriors?"_

"_Yeah!"_

"_I'll find Snowkit!" He called._

"_I guess I'll go find Beetlekit…" I grumbled. _

_Not in any hurry to find the grumpy kit, I padded as slowly as possible to where Beetlekit was tossing a moss ball dejectedly in the air, over and over and over. As he saw me approach, he tried to look bored, as if it didn't matter to him if I asked him to play or not, but I wasn't fooled. He wanted to play Warriors just as much as I did. _

_Beetlekit stopped me before I could ask him anything. _

"_Let me guess- you want me to join you and your little group of friends, play Warriors, and then go try to shadow a patrol…"_

_Well, then. If he wanted to act like that, I would, too. _

"_Yeah. I mean, it's kinda obvious that you don't really want to play, since you're by yourself playing Moss-Ball," I shot back at him. Even though no one really liked Beetlekit's attitude, he was great at playing games. _

_Beetlekit lazily stood up. "Fine. I mean, since you want me to play so badly and all, I guess I could do that instead," He drawled. _

_Shaking himself off, the four-moon-old kit loped across the clearing, sending up little puffs of dust wherever he stepped. _

_Sighing, I raced after him. Now, we needed to go find Frostkit…_

_I spotted her on the other side of the clearing, stalking a butterfly. Not caring about her prey, I dashed over and sent the blue-and-yellow butterfly jerkily flapping away as fast as its wings could carry it. _

"_HEY!" Frostkit shouted, fluffing her silvery pelt out. At almost-three moons old, my sister loads smaller than me, and was aspiring to become a medicine cat, even though she had a terribly hard time remembering the names of the herbs she would help Brambleberry sort. _

_I purred at her annoyance. "We're gonna play Warriors. You wanna play?" _

_All traces of anger gone, she nodded quickly and dashed over to where the other three were waiting._

"_I'm Crookedstar!" Echokit announced. _

"_I'm Mudclaw!" Snowkit called. We all stared at her. "What?" she said. "In our game, I'm Mudclaw, no questions asked."_

_I shrugged, knowing there was no changing her mind. _

_Beetlekit fluffed his pelt out to its full size. "I'm the leader of WindClan. I'm gonna steal all your prey!" He growled. _

_I fluffed up my fur as well, and stood a few mouse-lengths behind Beetlekit. "I'm Beetlestar's deputy," I growled. _

_Frostkit looked conflicted. "Uh… I guess I'm with Echokit…" She said unsteadily. _

_Echokit cuffed her on the head. "I'm CROOKEDSTAR, you mouse-brain!" He said. We all stared at him._

"_What?" He said defensively. "I can use ThunderClan insults if I want."_

_He had a point. He had every right to…_

_Anyways. _

_Beetlekit drew an unsteady line in the dirt with one claw. He shoved me onto our side, and Echopaw and his gang stepped back onto theirs. _

"_Ok," He said, "You know the rules. Me and Ashkit are gonna try and get over your border, and run back to the fresh-kill pile. If we get there, we win. You guys have to try and keep us away. Ready- GO!"_

_I took a flying leap towards my best friend, and he rolled away just in time, making me hit the ground with a thump. He then jumped on top of me with a yowl, and I was in no position to get away, awkwardly sprawled out the way I was. _

_As Echokit landed, knocking all the air out of me, he grabbed me under the belly and rolled over, giving me a fair chance to get back up again. That's just who he was- always trying to look out for his friends. _

_I, though, considered this a battle and had no intentions of doing such things. I launched myself at him again, and this time tackled him. Looking down, I watched him get the light in his eyes that meant I knew he was about to put up a fight. _

_But instead of trying to throw me off, he went slack under me, and I instinctively loosened my grip. He took this opportunity to throw me off, and proceeded to back me up until I was on my side of the border. _

_Looking down, I noticed the scuffed-up lines under my paws._

_Oh, no. He would NOT beat me. _

_This time, though, when I threw myself at him, he rolled out of the way once more, and as I skillfully landed, I tried to stifle a purr. He had fallen right into my trap, done exactly what I expected him to do. Without giving him time to realize what was happening, I dashed for the fresh-kill pile. _

_Frostkit was guarding it. _

_I actually did purr this time as I knowcked her out of the way and got to the pile that they were trying to guard. _

_Beetlekit saw this, and abandoning where he was tussling with his sister, he started to run, faster than I had ever seen him run. _

_Both he and I yowled triumphantly as I touched the pile delicately with one claw, as if mocking our friends. _

"_OH, YEAH!" He shouted. "WE WIN!" _

**Me: so, actually, we were going to have, like, five or six different memories, but instead I created this fluff chapter. **

**Rawr: And originally, Echokit's team was going to win. **

**Me: But Beetlekit was a butt and shoved his way to the front of my brain, where he demanded that he win. **

**Rawr: We gave him what he wanted. **


	6. Chapter 6

**Me: So… I've been procrastinating for so long on this, and I no longer have creative writing. Not that I updated this much when I did. But so anyways… I think I'm just going to do another fluff chapter, more memories. I wasn't going to update this, because I really don't have my big scene all ready to go, and I have to do that because I kind of work backwards nowadays. So once I finish that, there will probably be about two of three chapters after my big bang, and maybe five in between there. So guys… Sorry. Sorry for me being incredibly slow about updating, and sorry for making you listen to all my lame excuses. Life just happens, you know? Gah…**

**Rawr: And so… No more interruptions, except for this disclaimer…**

**Old McDonald Had A Disclaimer: D-I-S-C-L-A-I-M-E-R: I don't own this plot, or Warriors. Those belong to Kira and however many Erin Hunters there are. I don't own Old McDonald or his farm, either.**

_We had just finished playing another round of Warriors when three warriors trudged into camp, dragging a cat in between them. Beetlekit and Snowkit's mother sucked in a breath and quickly shooed our gang into the nursery, where she instructed us to stay until she came back for us. _

_Echokit and Beetlekit quickly grew bored, and ended up trying to sneak out, and, after repeatedly getting caught, were trying to see through the reeds. Frostkit, even more of a worrier than I, was sitting in the corner, tail lashing. Snowkit had decided to sleep the whole thing out and was content in her nest. _

_I, on the other hand, was racking my brain for any reason we would have been sent back. I'm sure my mother would be back soon, sure to tell us it was all a big surprise and that something good was happening…_

_And then it struck me, and everything fell into place. _

_The dark, scraggly fur that fell into disrepair after my father went to ShadowClan. The skinny body, and why it looked so wet…_

_It was my mother. _

_Dead. _

_"__Echokit, until you receive your warrior name, you shall be known as Echopaw. You mentor will be Cherryfrost."_

_The clan cheered my best friend on, and he gratefully accepted their congratulations through a fit of coughing, which racked his body. Beside me, Snowpaw winced as it became even more obvious: Echopaw wasn't getting better, not to any extent of the imagination. _

_Echopaw received his name a moon after the rest of us, and he had been confined to the medicine cat den before then. We were all starting to think that despite Frostpaw and Brambleberry's efforts, there was no 'better' for Echopaw. _

_We all offered our congratulations as Echopaw padded over to us, fatigue clear in his eyes. He purred weakly, and Snowpaw happily filled the silence that came afterwards. _

_"__Echopaw! You can finally sleep with us now! Yay! There's a spot next to me, if you want!" She said gleefully. _

_Echopaw purred another rusty purr, and followed Snowpaw over to the den. _

_Beetlepaw and I exchanged glances. Echopaw was fading- faster than he wanted to admit._

_"__I can't BELIEVE you, Ashpaw!"_

_"__Believe ME?! YOU'RE the sick one, Echopaw."_

_"__Look at you! It's your fault I'm going to be stuck in the medicine den for the next moon, or probably longer, if you get your way!"_

_"__Are you serious?! You're getting worse every day, and you're just too stupid to admit it!"_

_Echopaw cut off any further arguments with a fit of coughing that sent him to the forest floor. _

_"__I…" he wheezed. "I…" He tried again, only to be shook with a greater fit of coughing than the last one. _

_Echopaw then passed out, his breath getting shallower every minute._

_ "__Frostpaw!" I screeched. "It's Echopaw!"_

_No answer. _

_"__FROSTPAW! SOMEBODY, ANYBODY, DON'T LET MY BEST FRIEND DIE!" _

_There was still no response, and I hurtled back to camp in hopes of finding anyone who could help him. _

_Our old medicine cat, Milkweed, was in the clearing. I ran over to him, skidding to a halt by his sleeping form. _

_"__MILKWEED!" I screeched, louder. _

_Even the old cat was mostly deaf, he sprung to his feet as if he were a warrior again and followed me to where Echopaw was laying, choking on his own spit. _

_A starry tabby warrior wound her way around him, and I didn't bother to take in what she was doing before yelling at her, too. _

_"__GO AWAY! IT'S NOT HIS TIME!" I sobbed. She looked at me calmly, and did exactly that- disappeared into the marsh. _

_Milkweed hobbled over to where the Starclan warrior had stood. Looking down, he delicately gathered an herb bundle in his teeth, and, taking out three leaves, chewed them up and spit them into Echopaw's mouth. _

_Milkweed looked at me with the same expression of the Starclan warrior- total calm. _

_"__She left it," he said. "She left it for him, and it will help him get better."_

_With the herbs the Starclan warrior had left, Echopaw did get better, quite a bit better. Once he was nearing his first full moon of training, that's when they started to block him out. _

_I think I realized it then- The herbs the warrior left weren't as much for healing as they were for a gentler death._

**Me: Life's… been kinda suckish for me, actually. Yeah, trust me, I know how many kids who'd love to take any of our places, but that doesn't mean I don't have suckish days. Or weeks, in my case. **

**Rawr: And we have mid-terms this week. I hate those. **

**Me: But if any of you guys need someone to talk to, you can rant to me or talk to me- or Rawr- about whatever. School, Writer's Block, Stupid/annoying/cheating Boyfriends/ girlfriends, whatever. Sometimes ranting is the best thing for a person to do. **

**Quote of the chapter: "You're staying after squirrels tomorrow, Athens." –My Mum trying to tell my brother to stay after school, and instead instructing him to stay after squirrels. Cause, you know, you can't be ****_in front of _****squirrles. **


	7. Chapter 7

**Disn' the claim of: Warriors. And this plot. Those belong to the amazing Kira and the Erin Hunter(s)**

**Me: Merry Christmas, souplings! -puts on Santa hat-**

**Rawr: Happy almost-Kwanzaa!**

**Me: Happy Late-Hanukkah! -shoves reindeer antlers onto Rawr's head-**

**Rawr: We can't get this chapter out where it matches up with all the holidays! **

**Me: I know! **

**Rawr: But still, we hope you're having a wonderful holiday wherever you are. **

**Me: very true. **

**Rawr: This is gonna be a long author's note, people. If you want to get to the chapter, skip it. **

**Me: Up first, answering reviews! **

**Rawr: To the awesome guest... Warriors fan no1- That review totally made Silence's day. And what parts were confusing- Silence'll take a look. She didn't have me edit it... Things can... Go astray... When I don't edit chapters after her... **

**Me: To Kira- Thanks! I kinda realized that, after I had finished writing the chapter... But by then, it was, like 11 o'clock and I had midterms in the morning, and I was just kinda done. I had to get his mom's death scene out of my head, and then I just started writing... **

**Rawr: To SmileyOrangeKitty- can I call you Smiley?- Yeah... We finally updated... **

**Me: And to the ever-present, always-reviewing, really awesome HeartofGlass- I think you deserve a cookie. For being awesome. (::) (::) (::) (::) (::)(::)(::)(::)(::)(::)(::)(::)(::)(::)(::)(::)(::)(::). Or maybe more than one...**

**Rawr: But thanks. **

**Me: All of you guys, all of my reviewers, everyone who's reading this... You guys are awesome. You inspire me to write, and the fact that we've reached twenty reviews is just amazing to me. It really is. I hope you guys know how much you mean to me. **

**Rawr: We have more cookies to give out... One for Warriors fan no1, for being the twentieth review, (::)**

**Me: And, even though she's not here, some to Fangurl, who totally deserves so much credit. She's one of my best friends on FanFiction, and I really would still probably be on chapter one of this story if not for her. Reviews, views, follows, favorites- they all go such a long way, and Fangurl has totally cleared the park. (::)(::)(::)(::)(::)(::)(::)(::)(::)(::)(::)(::)(::)(::).**

**Rawr: and finally, cookies to all the people who actually read our ridiculously long author's notes. (::)(::)(::)(::)(::)(::)(::)(::)(::)(::)(::)(::)(::)(::)(::)(::)(::)(::)(::)(::)(::)(::)**

**Me: I may be the one that writes this, but you guys are the ones who keep it going. You're The ones who inspire me to write and get a heck of a lot less that the credit you deserve. I hope you guys know that. **

**Rawr: and now onto the chapter! **

It was raining. Hard, fast, merciless. One may think that rain won't hurt you, but leaf-bare was fast approaching, and the mix between ice and water that fell from the sky stung my pelt as it hit.

It was the night of the Gathering, and Starclan seemed to be doing everything in their power to stop us from going.

Clouds had yet to cover the moon, though, so the Gathering was to continue.

(**A/N typing this on a different thing than my computer, so I can't go and look and make sure it's supposed to be Hailstar. Just roll with it.**) Hailstar had decided on a small party, one that could move fast to keep warm.

Apprentices weren't allowed to go.

I couldn't believe it.

After everything that I'd done, my planning and countless days of thinking it through, I had a plan, right down the the very least, insignificant detail.

And now I couldn't even go.

I ate my carp in silence as I waited for the party to leave, wanting to take my mind off of it- if just for a little while.

Echopaw padded over, staring wistfully at the last tail disappearing between the reeds. "I wish I could go," he sighed. "I never even got to go to my first Gathering."

An idea struck.

I stood up, kicking my half-eaten carp to the side. "Echopaw, we're going to that Gathering."

"What?!"

"You heard me. We're going to the Gathering."

"Ashpaw, how fish-brained can you get?"

Apparently even though he had been wanting to go not ten seconds before, now he was backing out like a Windclan cat.

I flicked my tail impatiently, not wanting to have to answer questions. The scent would be disappearing quickly in this weather, and I couldn't trust myself to remember my way to Fourtrees. "A whole load more. Now, come on!"

Echopaw reluctantly heaved himself up from where he had just flopped down, and started to follow me across the edges of camp, muttering the whole time about how much trouble we'd be in if we were caught.

The second we were out of camp, (by way of the dirtplace) my nose was on the ground. Echopaw followed behind me, trying to avoid the freezing drops.

By the time the moon was high overhead, we were staring down at Fourtrees.

A snort came from the bushes behind us, quickly followed by a "Beetlepaw! Hush!"

Wait, no! No!

Snowpaw and Beetlepaw had followed us?

"Snowpaw, shut it! You're just making it louder!"

Then a fast and furious "You are!"

"You are!"

"You are!"

"Shhhhhhh!"

I raised my voice, just loud enough for the two apprentices to hear. "Both of you. Out. Now."

Beetlepaw stumbled into view, and then out came Snowpaw.

Beetlepaw didn't waist a second. "You were talking to someone."

I sighed. "Please, can you two just go back to camp and return to your own business, then totally forget this ever happened?"

The apprentices exchanged glances. "No."

Echopaw gritted his teeth. "Guys, I'm here too."

Snowpaw whipped her head around. "Who said that?!"

Deciding that these two couldn't keep their mouthed shut, I dragged them away from Echopaw, and then I started to spill. All of it. From when I figured out Echopaw was dead to Graypool seeming to know, and finally summing it all up with 'and so yeah..'

Beetlepaw blinked repeatedly after I finished, and then went over and hesitantly poked Echopaw with a claw.

"You're real!" He cried.

Snowpaw's tail was flicking at lighting speed across the half-frozen ground as she muttered to herself, 'Not real. Not real. Not real.'

Beetlepaw nosed Echopaw. "Always been a worrier, that one."

I stood up, shaking the rain from my fur. "Come on guys. We have a Gathering to crash." I looked at Snowpaw expectanty. "Coming?"

She unsteadily rose to her feet. "Yeah."

Together, the five of us charged down the hill.

Once we reached the bottom, everyone had gone stone-quiet.

Hailstar rose to his feet. "Beetlepaw, Ashpaw, Snowpaw- what is the meaning of this?"

I raised my chin. "Hailstar, I have something important to say."

Not even waiting for permission to go on, I continued. "It's about Echopaw."

**Me: well, well, well. Getting close to the end, are we now?**

**Rawr: We are. **

**Me: I'm planning on writing a little one-shot book about Echopaw and Ashpaw and the crew, just because I could fill so many chapters with them. **

**Rawr: She's seriously attached to her characters. **

**Me: Kira's characters. **

**Rawr: Beetlepaw and Snowpaw are yours. **

**Me: true. I'm still way overly attached to Mine/Kira's characters. **

**Rawr: well, then, happy holidays. **

**Me: -sings- I DONT WANT THIS BOOK TO EEEENNNDDD.**

**Rawr: Not time for a fangirl/Luke Bryan sing-along. Author's note. Remember? **

**Me: Right. **

**Me: -sings- MERRY CHRISTMAS. **

**Rawr: -shriek sings- AND A HAPPY NEW YEARRRRRRRR! **


	8. Chapter 8

**I'm positive I don't own: Warriors. Or any related merchandise, logos, or people associated with it. Nor do I own this plot, since the talented Kira gave it to me…**

**-Detective-y type music playing in the background-**

**Rawr: -pulls Sherlock-style Deerstalker hat over his face- It was just another long day at the office. Silence was more frustrated with her computer than ever, since it deleted her long-saved and prized chapter of Only His Echo Remains. Thus, no writing came to my desk, and my days were filled with me trying to get pencils to get lodged in the ceiling. I was stuck in the office with nothing to do, unless I would ditch and risk not getting paid. Silence's writers' block was in full swing, and-**

**Me: -walks in- **

**Rawr: -quickly sits up- oh… oh… Silence… Hai…**

**Me: -Slams file on desk- Next two chapters of OHER. Edit them. They've gotta go up. **

**Rawr: Two…Two chapters? I thought…**

**Me: Rawr, sweetie, it's best if you don't think. And, yes, two chapters. I'm pretty sure I mentioned me putting up a pre-OHER story, just 'cause I had so much fun with those…**

**Rawr: ….**

**Me: Well, get to it, then. **

**Me: -walks out and slams door-**

**Rawr: -Peers at first page of writing-**

**Me: -Sticks head through door- Oh, Rawr, I pay for those pencils. I would highly appreciate you not sticking them in my ceiling. **

**Rawr: …**

"It's about Echopaw."

I could hear cats start to whisper, no doubt talking about the apprentice and his death. I'm sure the cats who knew where quickly filling in the ones who didn't. Snowpaw shifted beside me. Beetlepaw pinned my tail down with his claws.

Echopaw stiffened visibly beside me. "Ashpaw, what are you doing?!" he hissed. "I'm fine!"

I shook my head at him. "Let me explain," I called to Hailstar.

Hailstar cocked his head. "There's no need to bring up your dead friend, no matter how much he meant to you. The past is the past."

Echopaw seemed to stiffen even more beside me, if possible. "I'm… I'm not dead," He whispered.

"That's why I wanted to say something, actually. Because he's 'dead'."

"I'm. Not. Dead." Echopaw hissed.

Hailstar regarded me, face closed. "I'm getting the feeling that this isn't just death we're talking about."

"It isn't. Because, well, he's not dead." I gave that a moment to sink in before adding, "Well, not completely. He's not dead. Not dying. He's stuck with a paw in both worlds, living and dead.

"Only I could see him for the longest time. I thought you were ignoring him. He thought so, too.

"I… I had a dream, though. Well, not really a dream. More like a vision of sorts. A Starclan warrior visited me, explained what was going on."

I stared levelly at the cats, gaze sweeping over them. "And that's when I figured it out."

"Figured what out?!" Echopaw muttered. "I'm not dead but I'm dead. Cats can't see me yet they know I'm here. I. Don't. Understand." He ground out the last few syllables.

"He's here. You can feel it. Graypool did. Snowpaw and Beetlepaw can, now. If you… accept it, crazy as it may sound, you'll see him, too.

"Then maybe he can live a normal life. One where not just his echo remains."

Beetlepaw growled in appreciation. "I see what you did there."

"Shush," Snowpaw whispered, nudging him.

Hailstar blinked, then rapidly started blinking as he seemed to notice Echopaw for the first time. Others caught on, doing the same. Soon it seemed as if the whole of the clearing could see him, notice him for the first time- truly notice him- since his death.

Snowpaw spoke up now. "Tell everyone at your camps. Tell them that Echopaw lives."

I nudged Echopaw, lowering my voice. "Because you do, don't you? You really live."

**Rawr: -shuffles through papers-**

**Me: -barges in-**

**Me: I'm… I'm sad to see them go. **

**Rawr: Yeah. I actually know what you mean. **

**Me: So. –Turns to you- Should I put the pre-OHER stuff up on here, so everyone who looks out for it knows, or create a new story? Seriously. I have no clue. Tell me. **

**Rawr: Heh. But you're far from done with Echopaw. **

**Me: I might have a one-shot about their warrior ceremony. Just for fun. **

**Rawr: Special thanks to Kira, Heartofglass, and Fangurl Night Kiwi, if you're reading this, you too. For your forum. IT'S NOT DEAD. **

**Me: Allons-y! **


	9. Before 1

**I swear I don't own: Warriors. Promise. Nor do I own the lovely Jensen Ackles. Poo. **

**(Supernatural. Oh, how I love it. Any Superwholockians out there?)**

**Me: Well, this would be the first pre-chapter of OHER. I'm sick, so I'm actually getting some writing done. Look at that. **

**Rawr: She's been making me take care of her. Not fun. **

**Me: It's part of his contract. **

**Rawr: I didn't read the contract. I just signed it. **

**Me: You're never supposed to do that, Rawr. **

**Rawr: You're supposed to tell me that!**

**Me: Well I didn't!**

**Rawr: Meh!**

**Me: Meh!**

**Rawr: Oh, and to Leafy— Uhm, Hai. You're awesome. :D**

**Me: The kits are about half a moon old now, going into the first bit of their first moon. Beetlekit and Snowkit are roughly two-ish moons.**

**Me: I'm warning you all now, this chapter is kind of dark. **

_Frostkit was never supposed to live. _

_ Minnowkit was. _

_ Frostkit got sick first. So, so very sick. They said it was white cough, but no amount of catmint made it better. _

_ Then Minnowkit got sick. Worse than Frostkit. He could hardly move, hardly drink, hardly eat. _

_ But by the time Minnowkit was sick, three others in camp had white cough, too, and there wasn't really enough catmint for anyone. _

_ Mother, Frostkit, and Minnowkit went to stay in the medicine den. I wasn't allowed to come. I stayed with Echokit and his Mother. They accepted me, even though I wasn't their kit. _

_ I think that's when we started to really become friends. His Dad was sick, too, and he could understand what I was going through. _

_ I visited the medicine den whenever I could, even though it meant sneaking in most of the time. Echopaw was always at my side. _

_ Minnowkit always wanted to talk to me. He would tell me about dreams that he had, like growing up and becoming mates with his undying crush, Snowkit. _

_ I came to visit him the day he died. Minnowkit made me swear not to tell anyone. His face… his face was so desperate, like he wanted someone to believe him. _

_ Like no one had, and even if I couldn't do anything about, he wanted someone to believe him._

_ He told me something he had been holding in since he had gotten sick- Frostkit had been eating his catmint. She hoped that it would suddenly work, even if it meant Minnowkit had no chance of surviving. Mother had turned a blind eye to it- even encouraged Frostkit to keep it up- since Minnowkit looked so much like our Dad._

_ She didn't like to be reminded of what she had done._

_ Minnowkit died that night. He couldn't breathe. _

_ Mother and Frostkit didn't grieve. They didn't seem to care. _

_ Three sunrises later, Frostkit started to get better. _

_ But Minnowkit never would. _

_ After all, it's hard to recover after being murdered. _

**Me: These guys are gonna be on the short side, but I'll try and update every week. Although it may be every other week.**

**Prepare yourself for a long Author's note. **

**Rawr: Story time!**

**Me: More chorus stories!**

**Rawr: Silence is gonna call him Mr. E, 'cause that's the first letter of his name. **

**Me: The intercom lady makes things amusing. Sometimes you'll hear the little ding that means the intercom is coming on, and the whole school will go quiet.**

**Rawr: We've been trained…**

**Me: she'll sneeze-**

**Rawr: She sounds like a mouse/pig hybrid thing when she sneezes.**

**Me: Then just casually turn off the intercom. **

**Rawr: Ok, actual story.**

**Me: So there's this one girl- let's just call her, uhm, 'B', since that's the first letter of her name, who thinks she's some great singer. **

**Rawr: She sounds like a dying cat. **

**Me: Truth hurts, B.**

**Rawr: She's really emotional. Like, Mr. E called her out one time on talking, and she literally started crying and someone was just like, 'uhm, B, do you think you're overreacting a bit?' and she started screaming and was like 'NO! I HATE YOU ALL'.**

**Me: She got sent to the counsellor for a talk about self-management. Or something. **

**Rawr: Anyways. Actual story. **

**Me: So we all know who sings wrong notes constantly. **

**Rawr: -coughcoughBcoughcough-**

**Me: And to avoid the whole screaming incident again, Mr. E just said that someone was singing off pitch. **

**Rawr: that's when intercom lady decided to drop in. **

**Me: Mr. E didn't notice, and someone was like, 'could you show us what that sounds like, please?'**

**Rawr: He was a little taken back, but was like, 'ok?'**

**Me: And then he does this spot-on imitation of B, really loud. **

**Rawr: We all started laughing, and one of the boys was like 'intercom lady's on!'**

**Me: Mr. E went so red. **

**Rawr: He was all like, 'uhhh… did you hear that?'**

**Me: She was trying not to laugh and managed a 'yes'**

**Rawr: And then Mr. E just does a (piano) keyboard smash with his face. **

**Me: Ah, good times. **

**Rawr: She had to get off the intercom and get the front office lady to tell Mr. E what she wanted. **

**Me: So sometimes one of us will just walk into class singing like B and he'll get so red. **

**~~ We have a whole-school intercom and individual classroom ones. Thought that might be useful to know~~**


	10. Before 2

**Me: Hullo peoples! I don't own warriors!**

**Me: I'm sorry about the over-two week wait. I've been trying it get this to post, and it keeps failing to put it out. Is anyone else having this problem?**

**Rawr: And this marks the tenth chapter of this weirdness. Go, bad storytelling! **

"I dare you to go catch a fish."

Echokit looked up from his paw, wet from cleaning. He shook his head, as if I was some bug to be shooed off. Seeming uninterested, he turned back to his work.

Not extending my claws, I batted at his tail. "Come onnnnnnnnn Echokit! I'm so bored! There's nothing to do!"

Echokit rolled his eyes, flicking his tail out of my reach. "Go get Snowkit or Beetlekit to play with you. I'm busy."

I huffed, annoyed at being put off. "Fine. We'll go and be warriors, and catch food for the clan. Be grateful when you're eating fish I caught tonight."

His ears twitched, and I knew he was listening. Maybe enough to get him to come. "I'm off to go find a cat who'll be brave enough to sneak out. I'm sure Beetlekit is. I bet he's loads braver than you."

Echokit snorted. "Go ahead. I'll be here."

"Fine." I turned sharply around, marching off to where Beetlekit was laying on his back, flicking a moss-ball up and down impatiently.

"You wanna go fishing?" I asked, annoyance gone.

Beetlekit caught the ball, and twisted to look at me. "I am." He said, arrogance lacing his voice. "Skyheart said that when she got back from patrol, she'd take me to the edge of the river. She didn't extend her offer to kits."

"You are a kit, frog brain!"

"A mature kit who can handle himself and catch the clan fish."

"Fine," I huffed, feeling like I was having the same conversation as earlier. "I'll just go and find Snowkit. I'm sure she's brave enough to go catch fish."

I glared at Beetlekit. "Without having to stalk anyone to do it."

"Sure."

"What?!"

"I said sure." Snowkit stretched, pulling herself up. "I need something to do."

"Oh." I was actually surprised. Snowkit didn't seem much like one for breaking rules. "Uhm, let's go, then."

Snowkit let out a short purr. "So, where to, Ash... Uh, feather?"

I snorted. "That's a weird name."

Snowkit shoved me, sending me stumbling. "It's all I could come up with on a moment's notice, fish poop."

I cocked my head, staring. "Where'd you hear that?"

She shrugged. "Confidentiality is important to my sources."

She was just throwing big words all over the place, wasn't she?

"So."

"So."

"Fishing," I tried. "How exactly does one go about fishing?"

The green-eyed kit shrugged. "No clue."

"Swimming?" I suggested.

Snowkit snorted. "That, at least, I know how to do."

I flicked my tail, sheepish.

"How can you not know how to swim?! It's, like, a RiverClan requirement!"

She gasped. "You've been coming to the meetings and lying about your identity!"

"It's a suggestion! You can come if you don't know how to swim!"

Snowkit rolled her eyes, "Swimming, then fishing. There's no need to drown trying to get a fish."

"That's... That's all you do? And then you just... Swim?!"

Snowkit purred, content. "Yup. Then you just swim."

My eyes widened. "Awesome!" I jumped toward the water. "Now we can catch some fish!"

"You've gotta try swimming in the water first, fish brain."

"Oh. Oh yeah, right."

She rolled her eyes. "I'm waiting..."

I steeled myself, ready to swim the Starclan out of the river.

"GO!" Snowkit screeched, and shoved me in.

"Gah!" I cried, paws churning.

"Remember, head up, tail out, up and through!"

Right.

I closed my eyes, trying to picture what she was saying and apply it at the same time.

"There you go!" Snowkit encouraged.

I heard a splash, and then she was in the water next to me. She was swimming confidently, no worries about drowning. She shook her ears free of water. "To the other bank!" She cried, pushing ahead.

I could already feel my limbs getting tired, but I followed her to the opposite shore. Snowkit nimbly scooped herself onto the marsh, but I had a harder time, struggling to pull myself up. She shook her head before grabbing my scruff and trying to drag my pelt up.

She purred, mischievous. "I wonder how long it'll take for them to notice we're missing?" She cried, delighted at the thought.

I flicked my tail, contemplating. "I'd say before the sun's above the trees."

Snowkit's gaze darted to the trees. "Fishing."

"Fishing."

"You'd better figure something out quick then."

"Why?"

"Here comes Skyheart's patrol."

"Fish poop."

No matter how well we tried to disguise ourselves into the reeds, two snow-white pelts aren't exactly good for blending in. The patrol hadn't even gotten within a rabbit-chase of us before we were caught.

Skyheart shook her head when she saw us trying to bury each other in reeds. "I had the feeling I'd find some kits here. Beetlekit's been bugging me to take him out for moons."

Snowkit and I exchanged looks. "But... You didn't agree to take him out?"

Skyheart snorted. "That kit doesn't have a lick of sense in that head of his. No way. I'll leave that to his mentor."

"Could you take us?" Snowkit asked, timid.

Skyheart purred. "I figured you'd ask that."

"So... Is that a yes?" I blurted.

Skyheart shrugged. "Is that ok with you?" She asked her patrol.

No one said it wasn't.

"YES!" I crowed, prancing in circles around them.

Snowkit cuffed my ear. "Shut up, fish poop."

I think the best feeling in the world was walking into camp with three minnows, all my own catches, in my jaws.

Skyheart had led us from the river to a little pond outside of the camp barriers, where the water was calm. She said that it was where she learned to fish, and her mentor before her.

She told us the basics, like not to lean over the water, and little tricks she had picked up over her moons.

She caught a carp, which had been basking at the bottom of the pool. Snowkit got a minnow and helped Skyheart trap a silvery, ear-length fish.

I was proud in a way that was almost disturbing of the three little fish that I had caught.

Beetlekit's expression just about had to be the best of all time: Total disbelief, loads of shock, and I even think a little bit of horror at the fact that a younger kit got to go out.

Echokit... He congratulated me, but made me promise to come back for him next time.

I purred, making my promises, and went to set my fish on the pile.

**Me: we had a chorus concert, and there's this girl in the year above me that looked EXACTLY like America Singer from The Selection. The resemblance was kind of creepy, it was so spot-on.**

**Rawr: we gave Mr. E all of his favorite things, tied up with string.**

**Me: converse and hand sanitizer (he's a germaphobe with a love of converse that's as freaky as the America thing). There was chocolate, too.**

**Rawr: A good day.**

**Me: I did a lot of random videoing. Like, you don't want to know.**

**Rawr: it's true.**

**Me: Well, that's as long as this author's note is gonna get. Good day!**


	11. Before 3

**I Only Wish I Could Own: Warriors. And the original plot. If only I had such good ideas... Kira does... **

**Me: I'm just answering reviews and giving up on my not-really-accurate-ever updating schedule. I'm just saying, it is summer... So I may get into a schedule-ish-thing... But reviews do motivate me- just saying. Heh. Yeah. **

**Rawr: We're watching Sharknado. I don't know about it. It's so demented and just really stupid... **

**Me: It is. Ember's making me watch it. **

**Ember: The stupidness is funny. **

**Me: How the fnick does a guy who just got bit by a shark casually walk into a bar and such and NOT FEEL ANY PAIN?! **

**Ember: -shushes- Don't question the stupidity. Let the stupidity question you. **

**Me: What?**

**Rawr: What?**

**Ember: SHARKNADO! **

_Shadowing a border patrol probably wasn't the best idea I ever had. Dragging Echokit along with me, and bringing Beetlekit with his not-so-stealthy stalking probably made it worse. _

_Yeah... _

_So there we were, "stealthily" shadowing Beetlekit's dad, Greypool, and Skyheart, and wondering exactly what we were going to do if we didn't get caught. _

_I mean, we always got caught. What exactly are you supposed to get if you don't? _

_Mark Riverclan's territory? _

_Casually walk by? _

_Get caught, just to keep to routine? _

_This time, even with Beetlekit's heavy steps ("Stealthy" steps, he calls them. Right.) and Echokit's whining, we had made it farther out of camp than we had before. _

_Maybe the wind was just blowing towards us instead of towards them. _

_Or maybe bringing the girls was always just bad luck. _

_Anyways, we couldn't even see the camp anymore. _

_I didn't know how I felt about that. _

_The patrol unexpectedly stopped ahead of us, before they started talking. _

_"Skyheart, I swear I smell the kits!" _

_Skyheart scoffed. "Greypool, we've been over this. Not only have we checked for kits twice already, but all of them were accounted for when we left. They were asleep, simple as that." _

_Greypool's tail started to lash. "Troutfoot, what do you think?"_

_Troutfoot sat down. "I honestly do get the sense we're being followed."_

_"Frog dung." Beetlekit not-really whispered._

_Greypool's ears pricked toward the sound. "Hear that?" She whispered._

_Beetlekit stiffened. "Noooo," he called. "You don't hear anything... This is just your imagination..." _

_Greypool growled, leaping a bush and pinning down Beetlekit. "I knew you were here somewhere!" She snarled. _

_I quickly shoved Echokit into the bush Greypool had just jumped, but then came out from a different angle. "Beetlekit!" I cried, not hiding how mad I was at him. "What are you doing?! We almost made it!" _

_Greypool shot out a paw, grabbing me as well, then called for the rest of her patrol. "I told you they were here," she gloated, but let Beetlekit up. _

_Of course we weren't going to run. _

_Troutfoot stared at his son, clearly disapproving. "What in the name of StarClan are you doing out here?!" He said, temper starting to come through. He rounded on me. "And Ashkit! I thought you had more sense than this!" _

_I looked down. "Sorry." I muttered. "I just wanted to have fun." _

_Skyheart, who usually understood this kind of thing, was shaking her head. "You two, this needs to stop. When you're close enough to the camp and it's all in good fun, it doesn't matter as much." _

_She paused. "But now, we're very close to the ThunderClan border. The two of us aren't exactly getting along very well right now." _

_I nodded. Even if I was disappointed we got caught, what she was saying made sense. My tail flicked, knowing what I needed to do. "Echokit," I called. "I think you need to come out now." _

_Low to the ground, Echokit creeped out of the bush. Not looking at the warriors, he muttered a sorry and came to my side._

_Beetlekit looked up hopefully, all for pushing our luck. "You still haven't marked the borders, though. That means we get to stay and watch, right?" _

_Skyheart shook her head, disappointment in her eyes. "Troutfoot, Greypool, stay here and mark the borders. I'm taking these three back to camp." _

_They nodded, and bounded off. _

_Skyheart nudged us toward camp, starting to talk. "Considering how new I am to being a warrior, I remember what being a kit was like. You still, though, need to have more sense than this. If something had happened, with you so close..." She shuddered. "There was a kit, when I was an apprentice, that tried to shadow a patrol I was on. He got to the WindClan border with us not realizing he was there. _

_"There... There was WindClan cats, waiting for us, accusing us of stealing prey. Even though we didn't, they saw the need to tell us with force... A battle broke out, even if it was a small one. _

_"Frogkit was the kit's name. He tried to fight. Someone killed him." _

_The three of us stared at Skyheart in shock. _

_Her tail started to flick. "Frogkit was Greypool's son." _

_...Which explained everything. Why she was so protective of all of RiverClan's kits, why she was so mad when she found us. _

_Because that was how her son had died. _

_Skyheart shook her head. "Don't tell her that I told you. She doesn't like to talk about it." _

_"We won't." Echokit whispered, his voice hoarse. _

_Skyheart led us through the dirtplace into camp, so not to raise any questions. She looked down at us. "Promise not to do that again?" _

_It didn't really need saying. "Promise." _

** Rawr: So that took a dark turn.**

**Me: Yeah. **

**Rawr: Sharknado was insanely stupid. **

**Me: But, hey, we wrote that Author's Note like 20 days ago! **

**Rawr: And just hadn't posted this! **

**Me: 'Cause first I forgot and then I was at camp, which is no electronics. It was rather nice. **

**Rawr: So, quickly answering reviews.**

**Me: to Mondmaedchen: Whoops. That's almost been a month from when you reviewed. Sorry. But, uh, yeah, we updated. **

**Rawr: And to the ever-awesome Leafy: Chorus Concert night was weird in a way you had to get on video. Yeah... **

**Remembering my Failed Resolution but Putting a Quote of the Chapter: *old grandma voice* Back in my day, we could buy a _ for a nickel! That's fiiiivvvee cents!" **

**-"Grandma Judy" (Stan, who is a girl.) **


	12. Before 4

**If I were to buy the rights to Warriors, I would own: Warriors. Obviously. But, sadly, I don't. :P**

**Me: I'm going to start off by saying how glad I am that Fangurl's back. If y'all don't know her, she's Shore of Rippling Waves. Although she doesn't have any stories up, yet, she's an awesome writer. Check her out. **

**Rawr: And answering reviews! **

**Me: Right! To Pretty Random Rainbows- Aww! Thanks! :) **

**Rawr: To Mondmaedchen- I'm sorry, isn't that an Anime? Not the names, but Hetalia... Ack! Neither of us watch any Anime... We're kinda clueless... **

**Me: Kind of?! Very much so. I don't even have Secondhand Fandom Disease from it. I mean, I'm not an Avengers fan, but I know more about it that I'd like. Secondhand Fandom Disease at work, people. **

**Rawr: Anyways...**

**Me: To Leafy: Me too. Basically all my stories go dark. Or are supposed to be...**

**Rawr: And of course, to Kira. :) thank you! **

**Me: And Fangurl. That was quite a spam! :) I appreciate it, though. Therefore, I am dedicating this chapter to you. So. To Fangurl. Uh, from Silence. Thank you. **

**Rawr: We're useless at sentiment. **

**Me: yeah. **

**Rawr: Chapter time! **

**Me: Finally doing the warriors' ceremony! **

**Rawr: Echopaw, Beetlepaw, Snowpaw, and, of course, Ashpaw, are becoming warriors at the same time, despite the age gap. **

**Me: Remember, Frostpaw's training to be a medicine cat, so she will become a warrior later than the others. **

_ FOUR MOONS LATER_

_Despite everything- Echopaw's almost-death, him frantically trying to catch up on warrior training, warrior training in general, and then the last half-moon of a lull in activity, everything was falling into place. _

_Everyone- even Beetlepaw, with his clumsy stalking- had passed their final assessment. Echopaw, surprisingly, with flying colors. _

_Beetlepaw wasn't so happy about everyone beating him out, but we're trying to make him forget it. Although remembering the past could be good, sometimes it lead to nothing but hardship. _

_And hardship was a little something we'd been trying to forget about, lately, with the impending threat of leaf-bare needing all our attention. _

_But now- now we were by the foot of Hailstar's den, looking up at him. _

_Waiting. _

_Not for punishment, for once- getting into trouble was something we'd had a bit of an issue with the last few moons- but for something so, so much better._

_Our warrior's ceremony. _

_Hailstar sat at the mouth of his den, serenely waiting. _

_"Echopaw, Ashpaw, Beetlepaw, and Snowpaw, step forward, please," Hailstar announced. _

_The tension was almost tangible, and the four of us exchanged glances before walking forward, slightly. Hailstar jumped down from his perch. _

_Levelly staring at us, he started to speak. "These four have show more compassion in the last five moons that some cats fail to show in a lifetime. For that, and for so much more, I, Hailstar, leader of RiverClan, call upon my warrior ancestors to look down on these apprentices. They have trained hard to understand the ways of your noble code, and I commend them to you as warriors in turn. _

_"Beetlepaw- come here." _

_He looked at me, clearly nervous, before doing what Hailstar asked. _

_"Do you promise to uphold the warrior code and to defend your clan, even at the cost of your life?" _

_Beetlepaw swallowed, then stated, in a weak voice, "I do." _

_"Then by the power of StarClan, I give you your warrior name. Beetlepaw, for this moment forward, you will be known as Beetleclaw. StarClan honors your courage and your fighting skills, and we welcome you as a full member of RiverClan." _

_The joy radiating off the black-pelted tom was clear as he stepped back towards the three of us. _

_Then, Hailstar called Snowpaw forward. Doing the same for Snowpaw, he paused before giving her her warrior name. "By the power of StarClan, I give you your warrior name. Snowpaw, from this moment forward, you will be known as Snowlight. StarClan honors you hunting skills and your boundless warmth, and we all welcome you as a full member of RiverClan." _

_Hailstar called me up, next, and I swear I had never been more nervous in my life. Not when I was showing the clans that Echopaw lives, not when I first became an apprentice. _

_I stepped forward when Hailstar called me, despite that, and shot up a prayer that I wasn't visibly shaking. _

_"Ashpaw," he started, staring at my face. "Do you promise to uphold the warrior code, and to defend your clan-" He put an emphasis on 'your clan', to prove- to myself, to the rest of the cats, or to Starclan- that RiverClan was my home, half-clan or no. _

_"-Even at the cost of your life?" _

_I could hear my voice quaver as I replied, "I do." _

_"Then by the power of StarClan, I give you your warrior name. Ashpaw, for this moment forward, you will be known as Ashheart. StarClan honors your spirit and your determination, and we welcome you as a full member of RiverClan." _

_And then, all that fear disappeared. Licking Hailstar's shoulder, and then going to join my friends, I could honestly say that I felt lighter than I had in moons. _

_But I knew how Echopaw was feeling, right before he got called up. _

_I nudged him. "Everything's turning out alright, isn't it?" I whispered. _

_He gave a light purr. "Everything but Frostpaw's medicine cat ambitions. She's still beautiful." _

_I nudged him. "Not only is she not allowed to have a mate now, Echopaw, but she's my sister. Keep your distance." _

_He purred again. _

_Our exchange only took a few seconds, but Echopaw almost missed Hailstar's summons as he called him forward. I pushed him forward, slightly, and he seemed to regain his head as he went up to meet Hailstar. _

_"Echopaw," Hailstar started, although his name almost sounded like a statement. "Do you promise to uphold the warrior code, and to defend your clan, even at the cost of your life?" _

_Echopaw shifted for a moment, and his voice almost died out as he responded. "Of course." _

_Hailstar blinked, almost as if he was surprised by Echopaw's quiet courage. I could almost see something click in Hailstar's brain. He let out a slight purr. _

_"Then by the power of StarClan, I give you your warrior name. Echopaw, for this moment forward, you will be known as Echostorm. StarClan honors your perseverance and your strength, and we welcome you as a full member of RiverClan." _

_The clan starting cheering, as soon as Echostorm stepped back. _

_"Ashheart! Beetleclaw! Echostorm! Snowlight! Ashheart! Beetleclaw! Echostorm! Snowlight!"_

_I could feel purrs rumbling off my three best friends. Snowlight rubbed herself against me, twining her tail around mine. I looked over at her face, white as mine. _

_I could get lost in those emerald eyes. _

_She smiled at me. "To being warriors." _

_"To being warriors," I agreed. _

**Me: *shields face with hands* Don't kill me for Beetleclaw's generic warrior name. And the cheesy ending. I hadn't actually planned ahead for this chapter, really... Heck, Echostorm and Ashheart should've become warriors after the other two 'Cause that totally happened. I figured, they grew up together, they- er,- graduate together. Yeah... Anyways, I bet you can tell what's going to happen with Ashheart and Snowlight. *winks* **

**Rawr: I came up with Snowlight's name. **

**Me: And honestly, I feel like we've completed a lot. Even though we've only done like three or four "Before" chapters, I don't feel like I'm going to do anymore. Maybe, maybe one more chapter, like three or four moons after this. But no more kit-stories or things. Sorry.**

**Rawr: And then, we'll maybe go and actually focus on Not Necessarily, get it done, and post it. And then do some more Warriors stuff, maybe. Probably some Doctor Who or Sherlock. **

**Me: Ashheart's warrior name looks so demented written down, with the consecutive h's and all. Oh well. The name fits him. **

**Rawr: But no matter how you put it, 'Echostorm' is ridiculous. **

**Me: In my defense, nothing goes well with the prefix 'Echo'! **

**Rawr: Whatever. **

**Me: Ach. Well, that's me, and Rawr signing off- for now. Hopefully we'll be back with one last chapter for Ashheart and the gang. **

**Rawr: Thank you guys for everything. **

**-Silence &amp; Rawr. **


End file.
